Angry Gambling Vandal Jailed

An enraged gambler has been jailed following his act of smashing up a betting shop in retaliation to apparently being conned by the staff over a dog racing wager.

Daniel Halton wrecked three fixed odds betting terminals with a stool when he lost his temper at a branch of Betfred in Manchester Road, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Halton, 30, of Newill Close, West Bowling, Bradford, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and criminal damage at the shop on March 1, as reported in local gambling news.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said Halton accused staff of cheating him out of his winnings after he bet on a dog race. He was told to phone customer services but then became very angry and smashed up the machines, causing £2,000 of damage.

Halton then seized a security screen, lifted it up and threw it to the floor, causing a further £300 damage.

He demanded his winnings and manager Craig Gibson and his shaken staff counted out £175 from the till and handed it over. Halton fled and was arrested two days later.

Out of Luck

Halton was in breach of a 15-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, imposed in June last year for causing grievous bodily harm in Conucos nightclub in Sackville Street, Bradford.

Andrew Dallas, mitigating for Halton, said he had a hangover at the time of the betting shop incident.

“He was very cross. He lost his temper. It had happened to him before,” he said.

Halton was a regular customer who often visited the branch to bet on sports in the UK. He was £400 up and thought he should be collecting a further £300.

Judge David Hatton QC labeled Halton’s behavior “disgraceful”.

“You lost your temper, you caused considerable damage, you behaved in a very threatening manner and you demanded money and got some,” he said.

He jailed Halton for eight months, plus ten months of suspended sentence on top.